Apparatus for manufacturing ices

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for manufacturing ices via rapid ice facture and rapid ice thaw is provided. A switching operation between ice making and ice thawing is easily performed by only a single valve, to thereby simplify the structure of the apparatus and save the manufacturing cost therefor as well as make users conveniently manipulate the apparatus. Liquid particles are effectively separated from coolant gas re-circulated to a compressor after performing an ice thawing operation, to thereby prevent the compressor from being in trouble. A capillary tube is integrally installed along the coolant tube connecting a condenser and an evaporator, at a position before a connection portion connecting a bypass tube and a coolant tube.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing ices via rapid ice facture and rapid ice thaw, and more particularly to, an apparatus for manufacturing ices via rapid ice facture and rapid ice thaw in which a material such as drinks, the juice of fruits or the juice of vegetables is frozen at once in a tray-shaped evaporation dish to manufacture ices such as sherbets, ice creams, or ice cakes. Also, in the case that different kinds of ices are sequentially manufactured, the evaporation dish is rapidly heated to easily melt and remove the remainder of the ices stained in the evaporation dish. Also, a switching operation between ice making and ice thawing is easily performed by only a single valve, to thereby simplify the structure of the apparatus and save the manufacturing cost therefor as well as make users conveniently manipulate the apparatus. Also, liquid particles are effectively separated from coolant gas re-circulated to a compressor after performing an ice thawing operation, to thereby prevent the compressor from being in trouble.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, various kinds of drinks such as Fanta® (of Coca Cola Co., Ltd.), soda pop, coke, and juice, various kinds of teas such as milk, coffee, cocoa, or green-tea, juice of fruits such as apples, pears, and oranges, and juice of vegetables such as carrot and turnip, can be manufactured as ices by using a variety of ice making apparatuses such as a refrigerator. As being the case, a particular ice making apparatus is used in convenience stores, so that products of ices can be manufactured on a considerable business scale to a certain degree.

However, since these various types of ice making apparatuses or ice makers are limited to functions of manufacturing a sherbet-shaped product, it is difficult to quickly manufacture ices having ice creams or ice cakes which require higher cooling than the sherbet-shaped ices. In order to manufacture different kinds of products of ices after having manufactured one product of ices, remainders should be completely removed from a container, so that tastes of the various kinds of products of ices are not mixed with each other. In order to completely remove the remaining materials attached to the surface of the container, considerable time and efforts are needed.

As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional apparatus for manufacturing ices via rapid ice facture and rapid ice thaw was proposed and disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2001-25688 on Apr. 6, 2001 (in correspondence to Korean Patent Application No. 2001-2640 on Jan. 17, 2001 and Korean Patent Registration No. 0430923 on Apr. 29, 2004) by the same applicant as that of the present invention, in order to solve problems of the conventional ice making apparatus or ice maker and manufacture products of ices needed instantly. Referring to FIG. 1, a compressor 11, a condenser 13, an electronic valve 24 a, an expansion valve 14 and an evaporator 12 are sequentially connected and installed in a box-shaped case 25, via coolant tubes. A bypass tube 15 having an electronic valve 24 is connected between a coolant tube connecting the compressor 11 and the condenser 13 and a coolant tube connecting the condenser 13 and the evaporator 12. The evaporator 12 is of a tray-shaped form, so that a flat plate shaped coolant pipe 22 is formed on the bottom of an evaporation dish 21 which is exposed upwards in the box-shaped case 25. An insulation material 23 surrounding the coolant pipe 22 is installed on the lower portion of the coolant pipe 22 and the entire outer surface.

Also, as shown in FIG. 2, another example of an evaporation dish is used for the above-described ices manufacturing apparatus which was filed by the same applicant as that of the present invention. A coolant pipe 32 is integrally installed on the bottom of the evaporation dish 31. In this state, the insulation material 33 is installed on the bottom of the coolant pipe 32. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the coolant pipe 22 or 32 installed on the bottom of the evaporation dish 21 or 31 is configured to form a coolant flow path in a zigzag fashion, or in a horizontal multi-tube pattern.

Thus, if the compressor 11 is made to operate at the state where the electronic valve 24 installed in the bypass tube 15 is closed and simultaneously the electronic valve 24 a toward the expansion valve 14 is opened, the coolant having passed the condenser 13, the electronic valve 24 a and the expansion valve 14 from the compressor 11 is supplied to the coolant pipe 22 or 32 of the evaporation dish 21 or 31 constituting the evaporator 12. Accordingly, materials such as various kinds of drinks or juice of fruits or vegetables are frozen instantly. As a result, ices such as ice creams or ice cakes are manufactured. The coolant used for manufacturing ices is recollected by the compressor 11 so as to be re-used for manufacturing ices.

Also, in the case that different kinds of ices are sequentially manufactured during making ices, the electronic valve 24 a toward the expansion valve 14 is closed and simultaneously the electronic valve 24 installed in the bypass tube 15 is opened. Accordingly, high-temperature coolant gas is directly supplied via the coolant pipe 22 or 32 of the evaporation dish 21 or 31. As a result, products of ices stained on the surface of the evaporation dish 21 or 31 are easily melted and removed at a very fast time. That is, the different kinds of products of ices can be sequentially manufactured within a fast time, and also taste of each product of ices is not mixed with the other.

However, the ices making apparatus which was filed by the same applicant as that of the present invention includes electronic valves 24 and 24 a which are installed in a coolant tube having the bypass tube 15 and the expansion valve 14, in order to selectively perform manipulation of ice facture and ice thaw. Also, a relatively expansive electronic valve is used as the expansion valve 14. As a result, the entire structure of the ices making apparatus becomes complicated somewhat and the manufacturing cost of the apparatus becomes high. Accordingly, it is difficult to provide a less expansive ices making apparatus to an ices manufacturer having a volume of a small-scale business based on multiple products and a small quantity of production.

In addition, in the case that switches which individually operate electronic valves 24 and 24 a are installed in the outer portion of a box-shaped case 25, users should recognize exactly whether a corresponding switch is used for which one of ice facture and ice thaw, and thus manipulate the ices making apparatus based on the recognized result. As a result, users are confused with and to be inconvenienced by manipulation of the ices making apparatus more or less. To prevent this, a separate guiding information or diagram regarding manipulation of a corresponding switch should be provided on the case 25. Accordingly, additional expenses are needed to form an outer pattern on the box-shaped case 25, which has caused an undesirable problem to occur when it is considered that a production cost of the ices making apparatus should be reduced.

As another means for preventing user from being inconvenienced by and being confused with by manipulation of the conventional ices making apparatus, the electronic valves 24 and 24 a can be controlled by a single switch. However, in this case, an additional electronic control component such as a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) should be additionally installed between the switch and the electronic valves 24 and 24 a, which has also caused an undesirable problem to occur when it is considered that a production cost of the ices making apparatus should be reduced.

In particular, in the case that the conventional ices making apparatus is manipulated at an ice thawing state, high-temperature coolant gas discharged from the compressor 11 heats the evaporation dish 21 or 31 at a process of flowing in the coolant pipe 22 or 32 of the evaporation dish 21 or 31. Simultaneously, part of the high-temperature coolant gas is condensed to thus produce liquid particles, that is, liquid coolant in the coolant gas. In this case, an excessive amount of liquid coolant dilutes operating oil in the compressor 11 and thus causes damage to bearings. Also, liquid compression is induced in the compressor 11, to thereby cause a considerable amount of loads to be applied to the compressor 11. Accordingly, the compressor 11 can be damaged during operation of the ices making apparatus.

As described above, in order to complement loads of the compressor 11 based on a liquid compression phenomenon occurring in the compressor 11, a separate timer is installed so that a time for performing ices thawing operation as in the conventional ices making apparatus does not exceed a predetermined time. In this way, the operation of the compressor 11 can be controlled. Likewise, this also becomes an additional factor which increases a production cost of the ices making apparatus.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

To solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for manufacturing ices via rapid ice facture and rapid ice thaw in which a material such as drinks, the juice of fruits or the juice of vegetables is frozen at once in a tray-shaped evaporation dish to manufacture ices such as sherbets, ice creams, or ice cakes.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for manufacturing ices via rapid ice facture and rapid ice thaw, in which in the case that different kinds of ices are sequentially manufactured, an evaporation dish is rapidly heated to easily melt and remove the remainder of the ices stained in the evaporation dish.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for manufacturing ices via rapid ice facture and rapid ice thaw, in which a switching operation between ice making and ice thawing is easily performed by only a single valve, to thereby simplify the structure of the apparatus and save the manufacturing cost therefor as well as make users conveniently manipulate the apparatus.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for manufacturing ices via rapid ice facture and rapid ice thaw, in which liquid particles are effectively separated from coolant gas re-circulated to a compressor after performing an ice thawing operation, to thereby prevent the compressor from being in trouble.

To accomplish the above object of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for manufacturing ices via rapid ice facture and rapid ice thaw, in which a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator are installed in a box-shaped case at the state of being connected with a coolant tube, a bypass tube having an electronic valve is connected between the coolant tube connecting the compressor and the condenser and the coolant tube connecting the condenser and the evaporator, the evaporator is of a tray-shaped form and is installed so that a coolant pipe is formed on the bottom of an evaporation dish exposed upwards from the case, and an insulation material is installed all over the entire surface of the lower portion and the outer portion of the coolant pipe, to surround the coolant pipe, characterized in that a capillary tube is integrally installed along the coolant tube connecting the condenser and the evaporator, at a position before a connection portion connecting the bypass tube and the coolant tube and a liquid particle separator for separating liquid particles from coolant gas flowing in the compressor is installed in the coolant tube connecting the evaporator and the compressor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing the preferred embodiment thereof in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a piping diagram showing an ice making apparatus according to prior art;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing another example of an evaporating dish used in the prior art ice making apparatus;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are a flow path diagram showing a coolant tube installed in the lower portion of the evaporating dish of FIG. 2, respectively;

FIG. 5 is a piping diagram showing an ice making apparatus according to the present invention; and

FIGS. 6A and 6B are a partially enlarged view showing a preferred shape of a capillary tube, respectively.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinbelow, an apparatus for manufacturing ices via rapid ice facture and rapid ice thaw according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 5 is a piping diagram showing an ice making apparatus according to the present invention. FIGS. 6A and 6B are a partially enlarged view showing a preferred shape of a capillary tube, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 5, an apparatus for manufacturing ices via rapid ice facture and rapid ice thaw according to the present invention includes a compressor 11, a condenser 13, and an evaporator 12 all of which are installed in a box-shaped case 25 at the state of being connected with a coolant tube. A bypass tube 15 having an electronic valve 24 is connected between the coolant tube connecting the compressor 11 and the condenser 13 and the coolant tube connecting the condenser 13 and the evaporator 12. Also, the evaporator 12 is of a tray-shaped form and is installed so that a flat plate-shaped coolant pipe 22 is formed on the bottom of an evaporation dish 21 exposed upwards from the case 25, and an insulation material 23 is installed all over the entire surface of the lower portion and the outer portion of the coolant pipe 22, to surround the coolant pipe 22.

Also, as in the case of the conventional ices making apparatus filed by the same applicant as that of the present invention (that is, as shown in FIG. 2), the coolant pipe 32 is integrally installed on the bottom of the evaporation dish 31. Also, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the coolant pipe 22 or 32 installed on the bottom of the evaporation dish 21 or 31 can be configured to form a coolant flow path in a zigzag fashion, or in a horizontal multi-tube pattern.

In addition, as an essential element of the present invention, a capillary tube 26 having a much smaller diameter than that of the corresponding coolant tube is installed in the coolant tube connecting the condenser 13 and the evaporator 12. The capillary tube 26 plays a role of supplying condensed coolant at a decompressed state using a pressure drop occurring due to a pressure difference between the capillary tube 26 and the coolant tube before the condensed coolant whose temperature is lowered while having passed through the condenser 13 from the compressor 11 is supplied via the evaporator 12. The capillary tube 26 is very simple in structure and low in price in comparison with the conventional electronic expansion valve. Also, the capillary tube 26 can be easily installed along the coolant tube in the form of a single tube.

Also, since the decompressed state of the condensed coolant via the capillary tube 26 can be achieved in very various forms according to diameters and shapes of the capillary tube 26, it is desirable to select and use a capillary tube having an appropriate diameter according to an exhaust pressure of the coolant based on a capacity of the compressor 11. However, it is preferable to use a capillary tube having a diameter of 0.1˜0.6 mm so that an excessive inner pressure is not applied to the coolant tube connecting the condenser 13 and the capillary tube 26 and a mass quantity of coolant having passed through the capillary tube 26 becomes a sufficient flow amount for manufacturing ices.

Also, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the capillary tube 26 can be bent in a spring shape or a waveform. In this manner, a passing time of coolant is delayed. In this case, diameter of the capillary tube 26 can be formed slightly larger than 0.6 mm. However, in the case that a capillary tube is installed in a straight line, a tube having a fine diameter of 0.1 mm or less should be used. A position where the capillary tube 26 is installed, should be a position before a connection portion where the bypass tube 15 is connected with the coolant tube, so that high-temperature coolant is naturally introduced via the coolant pipe 22 or 32 in the evaporation dish 21 or 31 due to a pressure difference occurring between the capillary tube 26 and the coolant tube during operating at an ice thawing mode.

Also, a liquid particle separator 27 called an accumulator for separating liquid particles from coolant gas flowing in the compressor is installed in the coolant tube connecting the evaporator 12 and the compressor 11. The accumulator 27 plays a role of a storage tank temporarily containing a mixture of oil and liquid coolant, and simultaneously plays a role of making the mixture of oil and liquid coolant introduced at a safe ratio of gaseous coolant via the compressor 11. Also, it is desirable to install the accumulator vertically at a position as close as possible to an inhale side of the compressor 11.

Hereinbelow, the function and operation of the an apparatus of manufacturing ices via rapid ice facture and rapid ice thaw will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 5.

First, a material for manufacturing ices, that is, various drinks, the juice of fruits or the juice of vegetables are contained in the evaporation dish 21, and then is frozen for manufacturing the ices. In this case, the electronic valve 24 installed in the bypass tube 15 is closed and simultaneously the compressor 11 is operated. Accordingly, coolant flows along the coolant tune according to a freezing cycle which is performed via the condenser 13, the capillary tube 26 and the evaporator 12 from the compressor 11. As a result, the coolant flows via the coolant pipe 22 in the evaporation dish 21 constituting the evaporator 12 and simultaneously the coolant absorbs external heat to then be evaporated and thus freeze the material contained in the evaporation dish 21 rapidly.

That is, at the circulation process of the freezing cycle where the coolant is supplied to the coolant pipe 22 in the evaporation dish 21 via the compressor 11, the condenser 13, and the capillary tube 26 playing a role of the an expansion valve, and then is re-circulated to the compressor 11, a condensing efficiency of the condenser 13 and a compression efficiency of the compressor 11 are maintained at maximum so that it is possible to perform a rapid cooling operation in the evaporation dish 21. Accordingly, various materials for ices contained in the evaporation dish 21 are frozen instantly and the insulation material 23 surrounding the coolant pipe 22 blocks a loss of heat, to thus be manufactured into ices such as sherbets, ice creams or ice cakes rapidly.

As described above, when the ices making apparatus according to the present invention is operated after the materials for ices have been contained in the tray-shaped evaporation dish 21, the various ices materials are rapidly frozen, averagely within several seconds, and manufactured into sherbets, ice creams, and ice cakes. Here, when a freezing temperature of the materials contained in the evaporation dish 21, that is, an evaporation temperature of the coolant is maintained at a temperature of about −30° C., it takes about ten seconds until an ice facture is completed. In the case of sherbets of thin ice, an ice facture time can be shortened less than ten seconds. In the case of ice creams, an ice facture time is longer than that of sherbets and shorter than that of ice cakes.

Meanwhile, in order to manufacture ices of different kinds from that contained in the evaporation dish 21 during performing an ice facture work using the ices making apparatus according to the present invention, the remainder of the ices frozen and attached to the surface of the evaporation dish 21 should be primarily melted and removed. In this case, the electronic valve 24 installed in the bypass tube 15 should be opened to make high-temperature coolant discharged from the compressor 11 directly introduced via the coolant pipe 22 in the evaporation dish 21. Such a melting and removing work of the remainder of ices frozen and attached to the surface of the evaporation dish 21 is naturally accomplished via the capillary tube 26.

That is, when the electronic valve 24 installed in the bypass tube 15 is made open, part of the coolant discharged from the compressor 11 is supplied to the capillary tube 26 via the condenser 13, and the rest thereof is simultaneously supplied to the coolant pipe 22 in the evaporation dish 21 and the capillary tube 26 via the bypass tube 15. Here, since the condenser 13 only lowers the temperature of the coolant and does not nearly change the pressure of the coolant, the difference between the coolant pressures applied to both sides of the capillary tube 26 is not large but the diameter of the coolant tube connected with the evaporator 12 is much larger than that of the capillary tube 26. Accordingly, an inflow of the coolant via the capillary tube 26 suffers from a relatively large resistance. As a result, the coolant discharged from the compressure 11 is not introduced via the capillary tube 26 but naturally introduced via the coolant pipe 22 in the evaporation dish 21.

Also, since the coolant gas introduced via the coolant pipe 22 in the evaporation dish 21 does not pass through the condenser 13 and the capillary tube 26 playing a role of an expansion valve, the coolant gas is maintained at a high-temperature and high-pressure state, to thus make temperature of the evaporation dish 21 rapidly raised. Accordingly, the remainder of ices frozen and attached to the evaporation dish 21 is melted and removed very rapidly. Part of the coolant gas used for heating the evaporation dish 21 is discharged out from the evaporator 12 at a condensed state and then re-circulated and re-introduced via the compressor 11 at a state where liquid particles have been removed from the coolant gas via the accumulator 27 installed in the inhale side of the compressor 11.

After having removed the remainder of ices frozen and attached to the evaporation dish 21 as described above, the electronic valve 24 installed in the bypass tube 15 is closed to then make the ices making apparatus according to the present invention restored into the initial freezing cycle, and simultaneously allow materials for ices newly contained in the evaporation dish 21 to be frozen. As a result, the taste of the newly manufactured ices is not mixed with that of the previously manufactured ices, to thereby be manufactured into a product of ices having a desired taste.

As described above, the ices making apparatus according to the present invention can freeze materials such as various drinks, the juice of fruits and the juice of vegetables instantly using a freezing cycle performed by the compressor 11, the condenser 13, the capillary tube 26 and the evaporator 12, at the state where the materials for ices are contained in the tray-shaped evaporation dish 21. Accordingly, various ices such as sherbets, ice creams or ice cakes can be easily manufactured. Also, in the case that different kinds of ices are sequentially manufactured, the electronic valve 24 installed in the bypass tube 15 is made open so that the evaporation dish 21 can be quickly heated. Accordingly, the remainder of ices stained on the evaporation dish 21 can be easily melted and removed to thus prevent the taste of the newly manufactured ices from being mixed with that of the previously manufactured ices.

Also, the ices making apparatus according to the present invention includes the capillary tube 26 of a simple structure installed in the coolant tube connecting the condenser 13 and the evaporator 12, differently from the conventional ices making apparatus filed by the same applicant as that of the present invention, in which the capillary tube 26 plays a role of an expansion valve and an electronic valve simultaneously. Accordingly, the overall structure of the ices making apparatus becomes very simple. Also, the ices making apparatus according to the present invention does not use an expansion valve and an electronic valve corresponding to the electronic type valve. Accordingly, a production cost for manufacturing the ices making apparatus can be reduced. As a result, it is difficult to provide an ices manufacturer having a volume of a small-scale business based on multiple products and a small quantity of production with a less expansive ices making apparatus.

Also, the ices making apparatus according to the present invention can easily perform an ice facture work and an ice thawing work with only one electronic valve 24. Accordingly, only a single switch for manipulating the electronic valve 24 is installed in the external portion of the box-shaped case 25. Accordingly, a user can manipulate the ices making apparatus without having any confusion of an ice facture state and an ice thaw state. Also, a separate guiding information or diagram regarding manipulation of a corresponding switch need not be indicated on the box-shaped case 25. Also, an additional electronic control component need not be installed between the switch and the electronic valve 24, to thus be contributed for reduction of a production cost of the ices making apparatus.

In particular, in the case that the ices making apparatus is manipulated at an ice thawing state, high-temperature coolant gas discharged from the compressor 11 heats the evaporation dish 21. Simultaneously, part of the high-temperature coolant gas is condensed to thus produce liquid particles, that is, liquid coolant in the coolant gas. Even in this case, gaseous coolant from which liquid particles have been removed by the accumulator 27 installed in the inhale side of the compressor 11, or gaseous coolant mixed with a proper ratio of liquid coolant which does not apply any load to the compressor 11 can be introduced to the compressor 11. Accordingly, the compressor 11 can be prevented from being in trouble in advance during operation of the ices making apparatus. As a result, a separate timer controlling an operating time of the compressor 11 need not be installed, which is different from the conventional ices making apparatus filed by the same applicant as that of the present invention, to thus be greatly contributed for reduction of a production cost of the ices making apparatus.

As described above, the present invention has been described with respect to the ices making apparatus in which a single evaporation dish 21 is installed in the box-shaped case 25 as a representative embodiment of the present invention. However, it is apparent that one skilled in the art can install a plurality of evaporation dishes 21 sharing a compressor 11 and a condenser 13, that is, in an ices making apparatus employing a parallel freezing cycle mode, in which a capillary tube 26 and an electronic valve 24 are used at a state where the plurality of evaporation dishes 21 are installed on the upper surface of the box-shaped case 25 as in the conventional art.

As described above, an apparatus for manufacturing ices via rapid ice facture and rapid ice thaw provides an effect of manufacturing ices rapidly in which a material such as drinks, the juice of fruits or the juice of vegetables is frozen at once in a tray-shaped evaporation dish to manufacture ices such as sherbets, ice creams, or ice cakes.

Also, in the case that different kinds of ices are sequentially manufactured, the present invention provides an effect that the evaporation dish is rapidly heated to easily melt and remove the remainder of the ices stained in the evaporation dish.

Also, since a switching operation between ice making and ice thawing is easily performed by only a single valve, the present invention provides an effect of simplifying the structure of the apparatus and saving the manufacturing cost therefor as well as making users conveniently manipulate the apparatus.

Also, since liquid particles are effectively separated by an accumulator from coolant gas re-circulated to a compressor after performing an ice thawing operation, the present invention provides an effect of preventing the compressor from being in trouble and reducing a production cost of the apparatus.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, the present invention can be applied to an ices making apparatus via a rapid ice facture and a rapid ice thaw.

As described above, the present invention has been described with respect to particularly preferred embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and it is possible for one who has an ordinary skill in the art to make various modifications and variations, without departing off the spirit of the present invention. Thus, the protective scope of the present invention is not defined within the detailed description thereof but is defined by the claims to be described later and the technical spirit of the present invention. 

1. An apparatus for manufacturing ices via rapid ice facture and rapid ice thaw, in which a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator are installed in a box-shaped case at the state of being connected with a coolant tube, a bypass tube having an electronic valve is connected between the coolant tube connecting the compressor and the condenser and the coolant tube connecting the condenser and the evaporator, the evaporator is of a tray-shaped form and is installed so that a coolant pipe is formed on the bottom of an evaporation dish exposed upwards from the case, and an insulation material is installed all over the entire surface of the lower portion and the outer portion of the coolant pipe, to surround the coolant pipe, characterized in that a capillary tube is integrally installed along the coolant tube connecting the condenser and the evaporator, at a position before a connection portion connecting the bypass tube and the coolant tube and a liquid particle separator for separating liquid particles from coolant gas flowing in the compressor is installed in the coolant tube connecting the evaporator and the compressor. 